UN Day

UN Day 2018

The anniversary of the entry into force of the United Nations Charter on 24 October 1945 has been celebrated as United Nations Day since 1948. It has traditionally been marked throughout the world by meetings, discussions and exhibits on the achievements and goals of the Organization. In 1971, the General Assembly recommended that Member States observe it as a public holiday.

Since 2009, GIMUN has collaborated every year with the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva to organize UN Day around the time of the anniversary. Each year, about 100 participants with all kinds of cultural and social backgrounds come to the Palais des Nations in Geneva to get to know the UN and to participate in interesting debates about current issues.

The event gives young people a platform to express their visions regarding a selected topic under an overarching theme that changes every year. The panel discussions are led by experts in their respective fields. The event is bilingual and every participant has the chance to take part in one of four panels, two of which are held in French and two where English is spoken.

Currently, the applications for UN Day are closed. If you are interested in participating, keep an eye on our website and our social media to not miss any future information!

The overarching theme of this years UN Day is “Taking Action in a World in Movement”. The four panels will be on the following topics:

Migration (English)

Children’s rights (French)

Protection of cultural heritage (French)

Transition towards a non-proliferation and disarmament zone (English)

Migration

Migration is an increasingly important topic in international politics. With the Arab Spring and the subsequent outbreak of the Syrian civil war, migration and especially the migration of refugees have been in the spotlight of the media. Migrant flows to Europe opened a heated debate on human rights.

Children’s Rights

Minors are often the most vulnerable to conflict situations. Particularly in the context of migration,it is important to protect the rights of children, especially the right to food, water, safety and education.

Protection of cultural heritage

In times of armed conflict, the protection of cultural heritage is crucial. Not only does the destruction of cultural heritage sites have a negative effect on the civil population in a conflict zone, the illegal trade of cultural objects is also often aiding terrorist groups.

Non-proliferation and disarmament zone

The concept of disarmament was first brought up in pacifist circles over a century ago. After World War II, disarmament and non-proliferation have risen to a new importance in the context of the Cold War and the threat of nuclear weapons. Non-proliferation zones and disarmament are now more than ever of great importance.